Acne and Soy

Picture enduring years of a condition that could have been averted with a simple action! As highlighted in some of my blog posts, I attribute the cause of my persistent acne to soy. I go into detail on how I discovered this in my first blog post. To encapsulate, after exhausting a myriad of acne products, various procedures, and consultations with numerous dermatologists, coupled with dietary adjustments, I embarked on an elimination diet. The diet consisted of; lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Remarkably, after merely three days, my skin exhibited a marked improvement, with significantly diminished active acne. Encouraged by this progress, I opted for a colon cleanse, procuring a product previously unexplored from a reputable vitamin shop. Alas, a mere two-hour post-consumption, I had two huge and painful boils on my cheek. Within an hour I knew that it had to be something in those pills. In bold letters I read: wheat and soy.  Subsequent research solidified my realization that it was, indeed, soy causing my acne.

It all made sense! Soy!

Reflecting on the quest to pinpoint the nadir of my active acne, I delved deep into my memories. The endeavor was so earnest that I resorted to documenting my recollections, painstakingly penning done each detail to reconstruct the timeline of those troublesome moments. I found that I had the most active acne when;

-Living in S. Korea

-In college when I ate at the cafeteria

-Attempting a vegan diet for two weeks

-After I ate at Asian restaurants

To Be or Not to Be

The question is, does soy cause acne?

After conducting an immense amount of research to get a solid answer (because the last thing I want to do is give you all false information), there is not enough information out for a definite answer. There seems to be a division in the scientific community: on one hand studies suggest that soy does cause acne then on the other hand research suggests that soy reduces the risk of hormonal acne. I personally believe that, for some, soy is the reason for their skin issues. I have seen quite a few people in forums, chatrooms, TikTok, blogs, and other websites state that soy caused their skin issues.

From research here’s what I have gathered about how soy may cause skin issues;

Hormonal Influences: Soy contains phytoestrogens, which this influence may disrupt the balance of hormones and contribute to acne, especially in those that are sensitive in hormonal changes.

Digestive Issues: Processed soy may have a high glycemic index leading to spikes in blood sugar levels, potentially contributing to inflammation, which is linked to acne. Processed soy can be difficult for the body’s digestive system to break down.

Among the top eight food allergens in the United States, soy is a self-reported allergen in an estimated 1.5 percent of Europe’s population (Source).

If you have tried various procedures, products, treatments, and/or different diets with little to no results, than maybe, just maybe it could be soy…. Or one of the other top allergens. It does not hurt to test this. 

Foods that Contain Soy

Example:

#Ilivedit #Brokenskintherapy